Study Handout for 1 Corinthians 2:14

 Study Handout: Why Do Some Accept the Gospel and Others Reject It?

(Based on 1 Corinthians 2:14)

Key Scripture

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”
— 1 Corinthians 2:14

Main Theme

  • Acceptance of the Gospel is not primarily about intelligence, education, or argument.
  • Spiritual understanding comes only through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Key Points

  1. The Question
    • Why do some embrace the Gospel while others reject it?
    • Calvinism: emphasizes God’s election.
    • Arminianism: emphasizes human free will.
    • This lesson avoids the debate and focuses on Paul’s teaching.
  2. Human Approaches to Evangelism
    • Apologetics: showing faith is intellectually credible.
    • Testimonies and rational arguments.
    • Examples: Michael Guillen’s Can a Smart Person Believe in God?
    • Outcome: convincing minds alone rarely leads to conversion.
  3. Paul’s Teaching
    • 1 Corinthians 2:14: The “natural person” cannot understand spiritual truths.
    • 1 Corinthians 12:3: No one can truly confess “Jesus is Lord” apart from the Holy Spirit.
    • Salvation is by grace alone; the Spirit must open hearts.
  4. The Christian’s Role
    • Share the Gospel faithfully.
    • Use testimonies, Scripture, and reason — but don’t rely on these alone.
    • Most importantly: pray for the Spirit to work in unbelievers’ hearts.

Reflection / Discussion Questions

  1. Why might intellectual arguments alone fail to bring someone to faith?
  2. How does Paul’s description of the “natural person” challenge the way we think about evangelism?
  3. What role does prayer play in sharing the Gospel with others?
  4. How do these verses deepen your understanding of salvation by grace?
  5. Think of someone you know who has resisted the Gospel. How might you pray for the Spirit to open their heart?

Application

  • Pray before, during, and after evangelism.
  • Rely on the Spirit’s power, not just human reasoning.
  • Encourage one another: conversions are God’s work, not our achievement.
  • Keep sowing seeds faithfully, trusting God for the harvest.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Matthew 5:13-16

   - Popular Bible Verse Series You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.  You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.  -Matthew 5:13-16 In September, my wife and I joined a Holy Land tour. One day, our guide pointed to hills near the Sea of Galilee, noting that somewhere among them Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–12). I’ve long considered writing about the Sermon on the Mount for the Popular Bible Verse Series, and visiting this site deepened that desire. However, I’ve chosen to focus on Matthew 5:13–16, the “Salt and Light” pas...
Read more

Popular Bible Verses Series

 List of Popular Bible Verses  (Click link to open the post. More posts will be added) 1,  John 3:16 2,  Jeremiah 29:11 3,  Romans 8:28 4, Philippians 4:13  5, Genesis 1:1 6,  Proverbs 3:5-6 ? 7, Romans 12:2 8,  Philippians 4:6-7 ? 9, Matthew 28:19 10, 2 Corinthians 12:9  11, 2 Timothy 3:16  12, 1 Peter 3:15  13,  Hebrews 11:6  14, 2 Corinthians 5:21  15, Psalms 46:1  16,  Matthew 6:33 17, Deuteronomy 31:6  18, John 14:6  19   Isaiah 53:6 20, Exodus 20:3  21, Psalm 23:1-3  22, Romans 1:16  23,  Ephesians 6:12 24, John 8:32 25,  Matthew 5:13-16 26,  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 27, Psalm 1:1 28, Matthew 19:26 29,  Genesis 15:6  30,  Thessalonians 2:11 31, John 16:33  32, Psalm 90:12 33, Hebrew 12:2 34, 1 Peter 2:9 35, Romans 3:23  36, Romans 5:8  37, 2 Corinthians 5:7 38,  Psalm 1:2 39,  Psalm 1:3 40,  John 11:25-26 41,...
Read more

Isaiah 53:6

- Popular Bible Verse Series  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. - Isaiah 53:6 When my wife and I visited Israel last year, we toured the site of the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We also visited the Israel Museum to see the Book of Isaiah from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Unfortunately, due to the war between Israel and Hamas, the museum had moved the Dead Sea Scrolls to an underground vault for protection. Our tour guide explained that the State of Israel considers the Dead Sea Scrolls its most treasured asset and is willing to pay any cost to safeguard them. Although we couldn’t see the original Isaiah scroll at the museum, we were able to view a digital copy thanks to modern technology. The digital display was fascinating: when we touched a spot on the scroll, the corresponding verse would appear. It felt as though we were reading directly from the ancient scroll. The dis...
Read more